Baptism of Holy Spirit

There are two ways we can get immersed

  1. Swimming Pool way (Water Baptism)
    1. Go into the water – under the water – come out of the water
  2. Niagara falls way (Baptism of Holy Spirit)
    1. You cannot be under the falls even one second without being fully drenched when you stand below the falls
    2. Every place that it is described – it indicates in one way or another that the Holy Spirit down on them came from above.
    3. Go under it -> Come down over you

In either case – we are totally immersed – not partially immersed – sprinkled

Introduction of all the four Gospel tells about Jesus Christ baptizing in Holy Spirit:-  far too little attn is given to this

Matthew 3:11 (KJV)

11 I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance. but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:

Mark 1:8 (KJV)

I indeed have baptized you with water: but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost.

Luke 3:16 (KJV)

16 John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire:

John 1:33 (KJV)

33 And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizes with the Holy Ghost.

This is part of official introduction of Jesus by his forerunner – John the Baptist.

John 1:29 & 33

Here John introduce Jesus as

  • Lamb of God (Only said in John’s gospel not found in any other Gospel)
  • Son of God
  • He who Baptizes with Holy Spirit

And all the 4 gospel  specifically says that he is “Baptizer of Holy Spirit”

We know Jesus as Lamb of God, Saviour – but it is also very very important to know that he is Baptizer of Holy Spirit

After his earthly ministry was completed – Jesus repeats his promise – when he was resurrected – he said and repeated the promise in Acts 1:4-5

In Acts 1:4,5 – Repeats this promise. How frequently this promise has been in the gospel.

Acts 1:4-8 (KJV)

And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me.

For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.

When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?

And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.

But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

All commentators agree that the fulfilment of the promise has been recorded in  

Acts 2:2-4

Holy Spirit came from above and filled them completely

  1. Baptism: Came from above and immersed them – filled the whole place
  2. Individually filled – not a collective experience – each individual had his personal share.
  3. Supernatural Outflow from infilling  (stated in Mat 12:34)

When your heart is filled it overflows through the mouth in the speech.

When your heart is filled, it overflows through the speech/ mouth.

Everywhere in the bible when a person’s heart was filled – the next thing they did is they spoke… spoke in tongues, prophesied etc.

A universal principle

That’s what happened in the day of pentecoast.

When the heart is filled in abundance then the mouth with speak

Very important to understand that this is a matter of God and man co-operating.

God filled them and they began to speak

-> God filled them &

-> They began to speak (God will not do the speaking) Out of abundance overflow they began to speak. You do the speaking and God gives the language as the Holy Spirit gave them the speech.

This is what Paul describes in

2 Corinthian 1:21,22

21 Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God;

22 Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts as a deposit.

Paul says 2 things

  • Holy Spirit is seal
  • Holy Spirit is deposit

In Ephesian 1:13- 14 he uses similar language

Ephesians 1:13-14 (KJV)

13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,

14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

So the Holy Spirit Baptism which is

  • Visible
  • Audible
  • Seen & Heard (not something that happens within you and cannot be seen)

Paul says 2 things

  • Holy Spirit is seal
  • Holy Spirit is deposit (down payment)

Seal

First of all it’s a Seal – you already belong to Jesus – But this publicly identifies that you’re belonging to him. He sets public seal upon you.

Registered mail – in olden days close and put a seal so that it been looked after well. Holy Spirit is the hot wax and Jesus Christ puts his imprints on it.

Similarly – when you’re baptized in Holy Spirit you’re registered mail and you get special attention from Heaven’s post office.

Down payment / Deposit 

Example buying a curtain material/ trophies for music night – or paying some money as downpayment so that the material is set-up for us. And when we come back with the full money then we get the curtain or material.

That’s what is the Baptism of Holy Spirit – it’s a down payment and set’s you apart for himself and after that you’re not sale for any other customer.

Secondly it’s a guarantee that I will come and get you forever. Such an vivid picture on what’s the baptism in Holy Spirit is.

What is a Seal?

People may sometime dispute this.

As far as I’m concerned the NT indicates only on Seal – that’s is speaking in tongues as the Holy Spirit gives.

There are other cultic groups that speaks in tongues like Rastafarianism in Jamaica. This might frighten some people – well how do I know that I will get the right thing.

Well Jesus said if you’re a child of God (pls note that). If you ask your heavenly father for a piece of bread he will not give you snake. In other words if you ask for the right thing – you have a written guarantee from God that you’ll get the right thing. Now if you’re not a child of God – that promise doesn’t apply. So if you’re child of God – you will receive the seal.

So a seal is

  • Something visible
  • Something audible
  • Something public

A seal cannot be secret otherwise it doesn’t accomplish its purpose. The seal is as part Acts 2 – they all began to speak with other languages as the Spirit gave them to speak.

3 things about it

  1. That was the seal the apostles received in their own experience

It was the seal which accepted in others/ Athens?

  1. Didn’t ask for any other seal.
  2. NT doesn’t offer any other seal – no alternative

Lot of people say that well I’m joyful, happy, praising the God – it is not the seal. No – not according to the NT. It’s wonderful to be filled with Joy, it’s wonderful to praise Him always. But it’s not the NT seal.

How do we know –

Let’s look at Luke 24:52-53 see what Jesus said

Luke 24:52-53King James Version (KJV)

52 And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy:

53 And were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God. Amen

 – after the resurrection of Jesus – they had the great joy & were praising him all the time. But didn’t receive the seal – Jesus said tarry/ wait untill you receive the Holy Spirit. After that they never waited any longer. When the Holy Spirit came, they spoke with the tongues and then they never waited.

One particular case – that demonstrates this so vividly.

Acts 10:

We can see that Peter was supernaturally directed him to Cornelius house. Along with him he took 6 Jewish people – to have witness (as a witness)

Acts 10:44-46 (KJV)

44 While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.

45 And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost.

46 For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter,

In the previous verse we can see that they received the forgiveness. The simple minded household of Cornelius believed and received the forgiveness of sin. After they received the forgiveness of sin – the Holy Spirit came upon them.

Jewish believers were astonished. They came there believing that the gospel was not for anyone apart from Jews.  They didn’t believe that Gentiles can become Christians. But when they heard them speak with tongues – they was not point of argument. What made them believe – speaking in tongues.

A gift is received in single transactions

But fruit takes time – it’s a process.

Don’t confuse gift with fruit.

Later on – we can see Peter responding to his fellow Christians where they were complaining and critize him that he shouldn’t have gone to Cornelius house. Peter said in

Acts 11:15 (KJV)

15 And as I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us at the beginning.

There is no mention there about the mighty wind or tongues of fire but the one thing that identify the experience is that they began to speak in tongues.

This was the Seal that apostles accepted, received in Athens? – no other seal mentioned in the NT.

Some place – people think it’s not orthodox, decent, or even demonic. Many in western culture think Christianity as very dignified. They sit & stand, no loud voice, not excited about anything in a dignified, calm etc. But that’s not the biblical way experience. We suffer a lot in this way that we are not free to express what God is doing in us.

If you see the people in the  bible they cried, shouted, groaned, clapped their hands, danced,  sang – they got excited. The one that provides the excitement is the Holy Spirit.

Two ways that Baptism of Holy Spirit is administered

  1. Direct from heaven – it falls on people (day of pentecoast, house of cornelius)
  2. By Laying of Hands (described in 3 places)
    1. Acts 8: 14-19: You can that these people were preached by Philip, got baptized, they were saved. But Apostles were not satisfied – they didn’t rest in the fact that they are saved.
    2. Acts 9:17 Next Chapter – disciple Ananias lays hands on Paul and he receives the Holy Spirit
    3. Acts 19:6 Paul finds disciples where they were baptized by John Baptized. And Paul laid hands on them and they spoke in tongues, and prophesied.

Physical Manifestation: Most Christians are having/living a bottled up life. They are not free to express what God has put in them. Coz you’ve standard of dignity, speak quiet, don’t get too excited, sit up-right, get up, stand up, kneel down and walk out of church. This has very little to do with the NT Christianity. This has very little to do with the experience of people in the bible. They got excited!

You read the psalms of David – we can see that he cried, he wept, he shouted, he danced, man of strong emotions, etc.

Even Jesus – he groaned, he wept, expressed his feelings.

No free expressions seen in Churches.

Worship is not just saying words – it’s an attitude of the body – bending down, clapping hands – that’s the scriptural way of worship.

People don’t express what the Holy Spirit has put into us. People quench the spirit – supress the spirit. Quenched our emotions. Trying to be dignified, calm, quiet.

Some of people who met God.

Abraham – God appeared to him; what did he do. He fell on his face. How many of you would do that? some of them will. There are some places, churches that say that angels fall on their face but not us as we are much much dignified than them.

Israel – When Lord accepted their sacrifice. All of them fell on their faces and shouted with joy. Because you get excited

Joshua – He met the commander of army of the Lord outside Jereigma – there he was flat on his face.

Infact all the most of the great men of the God has atleast once fell flat on their face.

Jeremiah 23:9 – Jeremiah’s reaction coz of the Holiness of God. bones shaking.

imagine on the pentecoast day the holy spirit fell on them and they behaved dignified. no they were not. And people around started saying that they are drunk.

Does people outside the church say that these people are drunk?

John – the apostle: encountered Jesus in vision and fell dead.

7 requirements for receiving the Baptism of Holy Spirit

1. Repent Acts 2:38

2. Be baptised

3. Be thirsty

4. Come to Jesus (the Baptizer)

5. Ask (how much more will heavenly father gives to those who ask Holy Spirit Luke 11:11-13)

6. Receive (compared to drinking)

7. Yield the unruly member of the body (cannot control the tongue – Holy spirit takes the control of your tongue – to glorify God). Control of the tongue by Holy Spirit is the God’s evidence that he has come in.

In the bible the tongue is called ‘my glory’ (not in all translations). [Acts 2:26 & Psalms 16:9]

Acts 16  praise God with my glory. Peter quoted in Acts 2:26 – I will praise God with my tongue.

Your tongue is your glory. You know why you’ve been given tongue is to glorify God. One supreme purpose for tongue is to Glorify God. Any use of the tongue that doesn’t glorify God is a misuse. But when the Holy Spirit comes and takes the control of your tongue then everything that you say is to glorify God. That’s the first time you’ll be really using the tongue for the purpose, which the God has given it for.

Thirsty – how you can receive this experience

John 7:37 (if anyone thirst let them come to me) – concerning of the Spirit. When he was at the father’s right hand – he poured out the Spirit.

Marvellous transformation – you come as a thirsty person and you become a channel of river. What does that? It’s the Holy Spirit.

No one has ever drunk with mouth closed.

No one has ever received the baptism of Holy Spirit with mouth closed.

You drink by opening the mouth and taking in.

You are not taking in anything but the holy spirit. After the drinking, there is this overflow.

Out of abundance of heart – the mouth speaks. This is where you’ve to have faith.

Holy Spirit is not going to speak for you – Holy Spirit gives and you’ve have to speak.

And need to do this with faith.

Eg: If you’re thirsty in the night = depending how thirsty you’ll get up and walk the distance to well.

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Purposes of Baptism in Holy Spirit

  1. Supernatural Power from God

Acts 1:8 – last recorded words of Jesus in earth

Acts 1:8 (KJV)

But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

Sinners can discern the supernatural power

Romans 15:18-19King James Version (KJV)

18 For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ hath not wrought by me, to make the Gentiles obedient, by word and deed,

19 Through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God; so that from Jerusalem, and round about unto Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.

Paul says Only thing worth talking in my ministry are the only things that Holy Spirit has done and don’t want to mention/ talk about any other thing. The holy spirit by supernatural power by signs and wonders made the gentiles obedient.

Hebrews 2:3-4 (KJV)

How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him;

God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will?

Writer of Hebrews gives three reasons – why we should attend to Gospel message

  1. First person who Proclaimed it was Jesus
  2. Confirmed by personal witness who were with Jesus
  3. Holy Spirit bears supernatural testimony to the message with signs, wonders and gifts of the world.

For the unbelieving world has a right, to expect from the Church that’s what we do. We are living below the level of the will of God, if we just present the intellectual word of God – some people will get saved but it’s not the God’s best.

One more reason for the Baptism of Holy Spirit.

1 Corinthians 12:13  (one of the most misunderstood verse – maybe missed translation)

1 Corinthians 12:13 (KJV)

13 For by (should ‘in’ as per Greek translation) one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.

We are baptized in Holy Spirit – it’s not the Holy Spirit that baptizes us.

We are born again in the Holy Spirit – that’s what brings us into the Body.

The word emphasized is ‘One’ – three times he uses the word ‘One’. When you’re baptized – we are baptized in something and into something… (in & into)

1 Cor 12:13 – misunderstood / mistranslated compared to Greek.

3 times the word ‘One’.

When baptized – your baptized in something and baptized into something

eg:

John’s Baptism – was Baptism of Repentance. The people were already in to what they were baptized into. For instance,… He wouldn’t have baptized if people wouldn’t have repented.

Baptism here doesn’t produce the repentance but his acknowledgement of the repentance.

Christian Baptism: Were baptized into Christ. When baptized, we are already in Christ otherwise there is no right to be baptized. Being baptized doesn’t put us in Christ but it seals us having been in Christ.

Same as in 1 Cor 12:13.. in one spirit were baptized into one Body. Not that weren’t in the body but this is the seal that we are in the body.

So in either case – Baptize IN and Baptize INTO.

IN -> Medium (Water for John & Christian baptism – Holy spirit for Holy spirit baptism)

INTO -> something that we are already IN but it marks us out as being IN.

IN repentance,

IN Christ,

IN One Body

The Baptism of the Holy Spirit is designed to have unity – One Body. rather than divisions.

To make you know that your part of One Body – no matter if they are from different denomination, different colour, different country, different language, every culture in member of the One Body.

One Holy Spirit – One Body.. That’s the God’s purpose.

but unfortunately, this has been abused / divided us

Non-Pentecostal being so critical

Pentecostal being so arrogant

Lot of Pentecost has the attitude…. that you got saved – Born-again, Baptize in water, speak in tongue and you’ve arrived !!

No, No, No – you’ve just started

It not a Goal – it’s a Gateway

But if you treat the Gateway as Goal then you’re never get any further.